1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed toward the field of replicating information from a host system where the information is normally stored to a mobile data communication device. In particular, the system and method of the present invention provide an event-driven redirection computer program (xe2x80x9credirector programxe2x80x9d) operating at the host system, which, upon sensing a particular user-defined event has occurred, redirects user-selected data items (or parts thereof) from the host system to the user""s mobile data communication device. The mobile data communication device is preferably coupled to the host system via a wireless network and one or more landline networks. Due to the bandwidth limitations of wireless networks, only a part of a user-selected data item is generally redirected to the user""s mobile device, with the user given the option of then retrieving the entire data item (or some other part of the data item) from the host system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Present systems and methods for replicating information from a host system to a user""s mobile data communication device are typically xe2x80x9csynchronizationxe2x80x9d systems in which the user""s data items are warehoused (or stored) at the host system for an indefinite period of time until the user synchronizes the mobile device to the host system. In these types of systems and methods, when replication of the warehoused data items to the mobile device is desired, the user typically places the mobile device in an interface cradle that is electrically connected to the host system via some form of local, dedicated communication, such as a serial cable or an infrared or other type of wireless link. Software executing on the mobile data communication device then transmits commands via the local communications link to the host system to cause the host to begin transmitting the user""s data items for storage in a memory bank of the mobile device.
In these synchronization schemes, the mobile unit xe2x80x9cpullsxe2x80x9d the warehoused information from the host system in a batch-mode each time the user desires to replicate information between the two devices. Thus, the two systems (host and mobile) maintain the same data items only after a user-initiated synchronization sequence.
A general problem with these synchronization systems is the fact that the data in the mobile device is only current at the moment of synchronization with the host. Five minutes later a new message could be sent to the user, but the user would not receive that message until the next time the systems are synchronized. Thus, a user may fail to respond to an emergency update or message because the user only periodically synchronizes the system, such as once per day.
Other problems with these systems include: (1) the amount of data to be reconciled between the host and the mobile device can become large if the user does not xe2x80x9csynchronizexe2x80x9d on a is daily or hourly basis, leading to bandwidth difficulties, particularly when the mobile device is communicating via a wireless packet-switched network; and (2) reconciling large amounts of data, as can accrue in these batch-mode synchronization systems, can require a great deal of communication between the host and the mobile device, thus leading to a more complex, costly and energy-inefficient system.
Thus, there is a general need in this field for a more automated, continuous, efficient, flexible, and reliable system of ensuring that user data items are replicated (in real time) at the user""s mobile device.
A system and method for pushing information from a host system to a mobile data communication device upon sensing a triggering event is provided. A redirector program operating at the host system enables a user to continuously redirect certain user-selected data items from the host system to the user""s mobile data communication device upon detecting that one or more user-defined triggering events has occurred. The redirector program operates in connection with event generating applications and repackaging systems at the host system to configure and detect a particular user-defined event, and then to repackage the user-selected data items in an electronic wrapper prior to pushing the data items to the mobile device.
Using the redirector program, the user can select certain data items for redirection, such as E-mail messages, calendar events, meeting notifications, address entries, journal entries, personal reminders etc. Having selected the data items for redirection, the user can then configure one or more event triggers to be sensed by the redirector program, which then initiates redirection of the user data items upon sensing one or more of the event triggers. These user-defined trigger points (or event triggers) may be external events, internal events or networked events. Once an event has triggered redirection of the user data items, the host system then repackages these items in a manner that is transparent to the mobile data communication device, so that information on the mobile device appears similar to information on the user""s host system.
The redirector program also provides a set of software-implemented control functions for determining the type of mobile data communication device and its address, for programming a preferred list of message types that are to be redirected, and for determining whether the mobile device can receive and process certain types of message attachments, such as word processor or voice attachments. The mobile device control functions are initially set by the user of the mobile device at the host system. These functions can then be altered on a global or per message basis by transmitting a command message from the mobile device to the host system.
In an alternative embodiment, the redirector program executes on a network server, and the server is programmed to detect numerous redirection event triggers over the network from multiple user desktop computers coupled to the server via a local-area-network (xe2x80x9cLANxe2x80x9d). The server can receive internal event triggers from each of the user desktops via the network, and can also receive external event triggers, such as messages from the users"" mobile data communication devices. In response to receiving one of these triggers, the server redirects the user""s data items to the proper mobile data communication device. This alternative configuration could also include an Internet or Intranet-located web server including the redirector program that could be accessible through a secure Web page or other user interface. In this configuration, the redirector program could be located on an Internet Service Provider""s (xe2x80x9cISP""sxe2x80x9d) system, and the user would configure (and reconfigure) the program controls over an Internet connection to the ISP""s system.
In another embodiment, the redirector program operates at both the host system and at the user""s mobile data communication device. In this configuration, the user""s mobile device operates similarly to the host system described below, and is configured in a similar fashion to push certain user-selected data items from the mobile device to the user""s host system (or some other computer) upon detecting an event trigger at the mobile device. This configuration provides two-way pushing of information from the host to the mobile device and from the mobile device to the host.
The primary advantage of the present invention is that it provides a system and method for triggering the continuous and real-time redirection of user-selected data items from a host system to a mobile data communication device. Other advantages of the present invention include: (1) flexibility in defining the types of user data to redirect, and in defining a preferred list of message types that are to be redirected or preferred senders whose messages are to be redirected; (2) flexibility in configuring the system to respond to numerous internal, external and networked triggering events; (3) transparent repackaging of the user data items in a variety of ways such that the mobile data communication device appears as though it were the host system; (4) integration with other host system components such as E-mail, TCP/IP, keyboard, screen saver, Web pages and certain programs that can either create user data items or be configured to provide trigger points; and (5) the ability to operate locally on a user""s desktop system or at a distance via a network server or through a secure Internet connection.